smyser



9 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

L. B. SMYSER. VESTIBULE RAILWAY GAR.

Patented Ma 10,1896. j r

IN VENTOR.

(No Model.) 9 SheetsSheet 2.

L. B. SMYSER. VESTIBULE RAILWAY GAR.

No. 556,031. Patented Mar. 10, 1896.

uinnliainniil WITNESSES! (No.Model.) 9 Sheets-Sheet 3. B. SMYSER.V'ESTIBULE RAILWAY GAR- Patented Mar. 10,1896..-

" Q INVENTOR; g/fiz ATTORN EYS.

. m WITNESSES.

No Model.) 9 Sheets-Sh eet 4.

L.B*. SMYSER. VESTI B UL E RAILWAY GAR.

No. 556,031 Patented Mar. 10, 1896.

v. [L 6M 4 mvENToRf '9? ATTORNEYS:

ANDREW B GRAHAM. PHDTD'UTHUYWASHINGTON DYC (No Model.) -9 sheets sheet5.

L B SMYSER VESTIBULE RAILWAY GAR.-

Patent-ed Mai. 10, 1896 6. INVENTOR.

. WITNESSES: I

' ATTORNEYS.

.PNOTU'UTHQWASHINGTD 9 Sheets Sheet e. L. B. SMYSER. VESTIBULE RAILWAYOAR.

Patented Mar. 10, 1896.

INVENTOR.

ATTORNEYS }WITNESSES.

Maw/

'(No Modem (No Model.) 9 sneets sheet 7. L. .B. SMYSBR.

VESTIBULE RAILWAY OAR. No. 556,031. Patented Mar. 10, 1896.

WITN ESSESZ Q/ 6 W v v fm y INVENTOR. M ATTORNEYS.

9 R E S Y M S B L V'ESTIB ULE RAILWAY GAR.

No. 556,031. Patented Mar. 10, 1896.

6YVIT-NESSES'. M K INVENTOR.

ATTORNEYS.

9 Sheets-Sheet 9.

(No Model.)

L.B.SMYSER. VESTIBULE RAILWAY GAR.

Patented Mar. 1.0, 1896 INVEN TOR.

v ATTORNEYS.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LOUIS B. SMYSER, OF CHICAGO, lLLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO THE GOULD COUPLERCOMPANY, OF NEV YORK, N. Y.

VESTIBU LE RAILWAY-CAR.

SPECIFIGATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 556,031, dated March10, 1896. Application filed February 27, 1894. Serial No. 501,653. (Nomodel.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LOUIS B. SMYSER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois,

have invented new and useful Improvements in Vcstibule Railway-Cars, ofwhich the following is a specification.

This invention relates more especially to vestibule-cars which areprovided at each end IO with an extensible hood or housing which I 5trally to the end of the car, so as to permit the plate to assume aposition at an angle to the end of the car in passing over curves. Thisconstruction,,while allowing sufficient angular movement of the hood inrounding 2o curves of large radius without disturbing thev joint betweenthe contacting face-plates of opposing hoods, is unsatisfactory for carsrunning upon roads having short or abrupt curves, such as elevatedroads. When a hood of the above description is used on a car required topass over curves of comparatively small radius, the range of motionafforded by the oscillatory buffer-plate and the flexible portion of thehood is not sufficient to main- 3o tain the face-plates of the two hoodsin proper coincidence, one plate moving laterally out of line with theother plate and forming a gap at the junction of the hoods. Moreover, asthe face-plates or buffer-plates are backed by springs, they tend toremain in such misplaced posit-ion under the pressure of the springs,even after the car again reaches a straight section of track. Theresistance to lateral movement thus offered by the hood also tends tocrowd the flanges of the carwheels against the rails, producingexcessive wear of the same.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide a construction of thebuifer and ves- 4 5 tibule hood or extension which permits a sufficientlateral movement of these parts with reference to the end of the car orvestibule to enable them to maintain a tight connection with the hood ofan opposing car upon sharp mentary end view of the car.

curves as well as upon long curves and straight sections of track.

Another object of my invention is to improve the construction of thefolding portion of the hood, so as to prevent buckling thereof.

A further object is to provide an improved threshold-plate which formsat all times a close joint with the horizontal wing or plate extendingbackward from the buffer.

The invention has the further object to support the face-plate upon thebuffer in such a manner as to permit it to rock freely in following themotions of the car.

In the accompanying drawings, consisting of nine sheets, Figure 1 is ahorizontal section of the vestibule of an elevated-railway car providedwith my improvements, the floor of the platform and a portion of thehorizontal plate of the buffer being broken away to eX pose the partsbelow the same, and the buffer and extensible hood being shown in theirnormal central position. Figs. 2, 3 and 4. are fragmentary horizontalsections, on a reduced scale, of two such coupled cars containing myimprox ements, showing the different positions assumed by the hoods asthe cars pass over a curve. Fig. 5 is a fragmentary horizontal sectionshowing the parts in the position corresponding to that illustrated inthe right-hand car of Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a frag- Fig. 7 is a centrallongitudinal section of the vestibule. Fig. 8 is an enlarged verticallongitudinal section of the upper portion of the hood and adjacentparts. Fig. 9 is a transverse vertical section in line 9 9, Fig. 8..Fig. 10 is a fragmentary longitudinal section of the car 7 platform, onan enlarged scale, showing the manner of supporting the rockingthresholdplate. Fig. 11 is a vertical longitudinal section in line 1111, Fig. 6, on an enlarged scale. Fig. 12 is a vertical section in line12 12, Fig. 1, the hood being omitted. Fig. 13 is a top plan view,partly in section, of the vestibule, showing a modified construction ofthe spring at the top of the face-plate. Fig. 14 is a fragmentary endview of said modification. Fig. 15 is a fragmentary horizontal sectionof a surface-railway car, having a narrow vestivestibule.

bule provided with my improvements. Fig. 16 is a similar section showingmy improvements applied to a surface-car having a wide Fig. 17 is avertical cross-section in line 17 17, Fig. 16.

Like letters of reference refer to like parts in the several figures.

Referring to the construction shown in Figs. 1 to 12, inclusive, Arepresents the end sill of the stationary platform, and A thelongitudinal timbers thereof extending from said end sill to the endsill A of the car-body.

B B are the side walls of the vestibule, in which are the usual doors. Band B are end panels of the vestibule,which extend inwardly a shortdistance from the side walls, so as to leave a comparatively widepassage between the same. Each of these panels is curved concentricallywith the king-bolt of the car, which is not shown in the drawings, andeach panel is hollow, so as to form a pocket I) therein.

0 is a transverse buffer-plate having the usual horizontal wing or plate0 extending rearwardly over the end sill of the platform.

D is a longitudinal stem which carries the buffer-plate at its outer endand which is pivoted at its rear end to a bracket or socket (Z securedto the end sill of the car, so as to be capable of swinging laterally.The end sill of the car is formed with a flaring opening (1, throughwhich the buffer-stem passes. In the construction shown in the drawingsthe buffer-stem consists of two telescopic sections, the rear one ofwhich is hollow and receives the contracted rear portions of the frontsection. The latter is provided with a pin (1*, which projects through alongitudinal slot 61 in the hollow section, as shown in Figs. 1 and 7,thereby preventing the separation of the section;

d is an abutment-ring loosely surrounding the contracted portion of thefront section of the buffer-stem and adapted to bear against the frontend of the rear section of said stem. d is a follower also arrangedloosely on the contracted portion of said front section and adapted toabut against the shoulder cl of the front section. surround the frontsection between said abutment-ring and said follower and which resistthe inward movement of the buffer, the follower moving rearwardly withthe front section of the stem and compressing the springs when thebuffer is pressed inward.

E E represent centerin g-sprin gs which yieldingly hold the buffer-stemand the buffer in their normal position and which return these parts inthat position when the .car passes from a curve upon a straight sectionof track. These springs surround a stationary bowshaped guide-rod E andbear with their front ends against opposite sides of the buifer-stem.

This guide-rod passes through a perforated lug 6, formed on the stem, asshown in Fig. 7, and is arranged at its ends in sockets e secured to thefront side of the end sill of the car.

(1 are buffer-springs which 7 The front portion of the buffer-stem issupported by grooved rollers f, which run upon a curved horizontal trackf supported underneath the end sill of the car-platform. This track iscurved concentrically with the rear pivot of the buffer-stem. Thejournals of the rollers f are secured to opposite ends of a yoke f uponwhich the buffer-stem rests, and the rollers are mounted loosely on thejournals, so that the latter are free to slide lengthwise in the rollersas the buffer-plate moves i11- ward and outward.

The buffer-plate is preferably pivoted centrally to the outer end of itsstem by a vertical pin g, to permit the same to oscillate upon the endof the stem in accommodating itself to the angular positions assumed bythe end of the car in rounding curves.

h is ahorizontal bow-shaped guide or yoke secured at its ends to therear side of the buffer-plate and sliding with its central portion in ahorizontal opening formed in the bufferstem a short distance in rear ofits front end.

77. are semielliptical righting-springs secured to the guide h andbearing against opposite sides of the buffer-stem.- These springs, whilepermitting thebuffer-plate to oscillate 011 its pivot, tend to maintainthe same in its normal position parallel with the end of the platform.

I represents the flexible side and top portions of the extensible hoodor vestibule extension, and I is the usual metallic faceplate attachedto the outer end of the hood. The rear end of the flexible hood issecured to the face of an open frame or door plate J, which issubstantially similar in construction to the face-plate I and capable ofmoving laterally on the end of the vestibule.

J represents upright wings or panels secured at their outer edges to thestiles of the door-plate J and sliding in the pockets 1) of the hollowpanels B of the vestibule. These wings or slides are provided at theirlower ends with antifriction-rollers j, which run upon the end sill ofthe platform and support the door-frame as well as the wings. Thisdoor-frame with its wings is compelled to move laterally with the bufferby vertical pins or projections j, secured to the outer lower ends ofthe wings and passing through transverse slots or guides 7' formed inthe. horizontal plate of the buffer and curved concentrically with thepivot on which the buffer oscillates, as clearly shown in Fig. 1. Thepins j are preferably provided with antifriction-rollers, which runagainst the sides of the slots. These slots and pins, while compellingthe door-plate and connecting parts to take part in the lateralmovements of the buffer, permit the latter to swing on its pivot withouteffecting the position of the hood.

In order to permit the end of the car in rounding curves to swing at anangle to an opposing car without carrying the buffer and hood with it,the end sill of the platform is provided with a transverse slot jthrough which the pins j of the wings pass, and which is curvedconcentric with the king-bolt of the car before referred to.

The upper portion of the face-plate I is connected with the adjacentportion of the laterallymovable door-plate J by a longitudinal rod k,which is secured to an upward extension t' of the face-plate and slideswith its rear portion in an opening formed in a similar extension 1' ofthe door plate, as clearly shown in Fig. 8.

represents a spring which surrounds the rod 70 between the upwardextensions of the face-plate and the door-plate and whereby theface-plate is pressed outward against the faceplate of an opposingvestibule-hood.

Z represents a guide-roller mounted upon the connecting-rod 7c in rearof the door-plate J and running between curved guide rails or tracks Z Zsecured to the adjacent end of the car-roof, the lower rail, 1*, beingsecured to the upper side of a cross-piece Z and the upper rail beingsupported by arms Z. This guide-roller Z is mounted loosely on theconnecting-rod 7a to permit the latter to slide through the roller asthe faceplate moves inward or outward, the projecting rear portion ofthe rod being made sufliciently long for this purpose.

'm represents a retaining-bolt whereby the upper portion of thedoor-plate is yieldingly held in close contact with the contiguousportion of the vestibule. This bolt is attached at its front to thedoor-plate and passes rearwardly through a horizontal slot m formed inthe end wall of the vestibule above the door-opening, as shown in Fig.8.

m m represent two sets of antifrictionrollers which bear against theinner side of the end wall of the vestibule on the upper and lower sidesof the slot on and which are journaled in the ends of a yoke m mountedon the retaining bolt m. These rollers are pressed against the innerside of the vestibulewall by a spring m surrounding the retaining-boltbetween the rear side of the yoke m and an adj usting-nut m arranged onthe screw-threaded rear end of the bolt. This draws the door-plateclosely against the end wall of the vestibule and maintains a tightjoint between these parts in all portions of the hood.

It will be understood from the foregoing description that the buffer andthe hood, composed essentially of the outer or face plate, I, the inneror door plate, J, and the intermediate flexible connection, are bothcapable of shifting bodily toward either side of the car, the entirehood-and -buffer structure swinging concentrically with the rear pivotof the buffer-stem and the buffer, in addition to its lateral movement,being capable of an independent oscillatory motion.

When the hood moves to one side of the longitudinal center line of thecar in rounding a curve, the slide or panel J on that side of the hoodwhich faces the inner side of the curve is pushed farther into itspocket, while the opposite side is to the same extent withdrawn from itspocket, thus closing the spaces between the hood and the stationarypanels of the end wall of the vestibule in all positions of the hood.

Fig. 2 of the drawings shows the relative position of the hoods of twoopposing cars when one car is upon a curve and the other is about topass upon the curve, the hood and buffer-stem of the latter car being intheir normal central position and the hood of the former being shiftedto one side of its central position.

Fig. 3 shows the relative positions of the hoods and bu fier-stems afterthe hoods of both cars have shifted laterally and just before the secondcar passes upon the curve.

Fig. 4 shows the relative position of the hoods and buffer-stems whenboth cars are upon the curve.

By making the hoods bodily movable sidewise of the car they are enabledto remain in line with each other in any of the various positionsassumed by the cars in passing around curves, irrespective of theabruptness of the curve, thereby rendering the improvement especiallyadvantageous for cars running upon elevated railroads,which generallyhave many sharp curves. A close joint is thus not only maintainedbetween the hoods, but the excessive wear of the face-plates of thehoods and of the car-wheel flanges, produced by the resistance tolateral movement offered by the hoods heretofore employed is obviated,and the retarding of the speed of the train caused by such resistance isalso avoided.

If desired, a transverse semielliptical spring N may be substituted forthe spiral spring 70 as shown in Figs. 13 and 14. In this case the endsof the spring are secured to the rear sides of the face-plate and thespring is connected at its middle to the journal of the guide-roller Z,preferably by a ball-and-socket joint n.

The journal is in this case held against axial movement in the roller.

In Fig. 15 my improvement is shown in a modified form in connection witha surfacerailway car having a narrow vestibule. In this case the hoodand buffer move laterally, as in the previously-described construction,but the inner or door plate, J, of the hood, instead of being flat iscurved concentrically with the rear pivot of the buffer-stem, and thecontiguous portions of the end wall of the vestibule are correspondinglycurved, while the wings or extensions of the doorplate are arrangedagainst the outer'sides of the end wall of the vestibule instead of inpockets in the wall. This modification shows flat springs o in place ofthe semielliptical springs h of the first construction, said springsbeing secured at their front ends to the opposite sides of thebuffer-stem and bearing with their free rear, ends against the innersides of the collarson the bow-shaped guide. The bow-shaped guide-rod Eis omitted and short spiral springs seated in sockets p in the middletimbers of the platform are substituted for the long spiral springsmounted on said guide-rod.

Figs. 16 and 17 show the application of my improvements to asurface-railway car having a wide vestibule extending the full width ofthe car. The construction of the hood and the end of the vestibule isthe same as that shown in Fig. 15, except that the contiguous faces ofthese parts are curved concentrically with the king-bolt of the car,instead of the rear pivot of the buffer-stem. Owing to the width of thebuffer in this case the same is provided with side buffer-springs q andstems q in addition to the central springs. In order to give the rearends of these side stems the necessary oscillating motion, their rearportions pass loosely through swiveling-blocks (1 which are providedwith vertical trunnions arranged in bearings formed in horizontal bars 1which are secured between the longitudinal side timbers of the platform,as shown in Fig. 1.7.

R represents the threshold-plate which overlaps the horizontal wing ofthe buffer. This plate is supported between its front and rear edgesupon a transverse barr having a curved or convex upper surface, whichpermits the threshold-plate to rock freely thereon. The plate is looselyheld upon this bar by screws 4" passing through elongated openings orslots formed transversely in the plate.

r represents springs which bear against the under side of the plate, inrear of the convex supporting bar, and which are seated in sockets ordepressions r formed in a stationary block. These springs tend to swingthe rear portion of the threshold-plate upwardly,thereby depressing itsfront portion, keeping it in yielding contact with the wing of thebuffer, and forming a close joint with said wing. The flooring of theplatform is recessed to re- I ceive the rear portion of thethreshold-plate,

as shown at r, Fig. 10.

Heretofore the flexible portion of the hood has generally been plaitedin the form of zigzag or accordion folds having sharp angles.

When opposing cars having such accordion hoods are separated to theirfullest limit the folds of the hood are straightened out to such anextent that they often fail to collapse properly when the hood is againcontracted, causing the same to buckle or bulge. The space available forthe hood is limited, and the construction above described does notpermit the flexible material of the hood to be made sufficiently full toavoid straightening out of the folds under a full separation of thecars. To overcome this objection, the adjacent folds or plaits of myimproved hood are connected by blunt or rounded portions 'i instead ofsharp or angular portions, as hitherto constructed. This constructionpermits the use of more material within a given limit than the sharpangular construction, and the folds are fully straightened out when thecars separate to their greatest limit, thus preventing buckling of thehood in contracting.

The stiles of the face-plate are provided at their lower ends withdownward extensions or contracted tenons i which pass loosely throughthe longitudinal slots i formed in the horizontal plate of the buffer,as shown in Figs. 6, 11, and 12. These tenons preferably consist ofseparate plates, which are secured to the rear sides of the face-plate,as shown. The lower ends of the stiles of the face-plate are preferablytapered and rounded and rest loosely upon the longitudinal plate of thebuffer. By this construction the lower portion of the face-plate isconfined against lateral displacement with the buffer-plate, but allowedto rock freely on its tapered lower ends and follow the swaying motionsof the car.

I claim as my invention- 1. The combination with the platform of arailway-car, of a laterally-movable stem an oscillating buffer-platepivoted to the outer end of said stem, a bow or yoke sliding in saidstem and secured at its ends to the buffer-plate and springs arranged onsaid yoke and bearing against opposite sides of said stem, substantiallyas set forth.

2. The combination with the car-platform, of a buffer, alaterally-movable stem carrying said buffer, a track arranged underneaththe buffer and a guide-roller running upon said track and supporting theouter portion of the buffer-stem, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination with the car-platform, of a buffer, alaterally-movable stem carrying said buffer, a track arranged underneaththe buffer and a guide-roller running upon said track, supporting theouter portion of the buffer-stem, and having a journal capable ofsliding axially in the roller, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination with the car-body, of a laterally-movable supportingor door plate arranged adjacent to the end of the car-body, alaterally-movable face-plate arranged in front of said door-plate and anintermediate hood connecting said door and face plates, substantially asset forth.

5. The combination with the car-body, the buffer-plate and thelaterally-movable supporting or door plate arranged adjacent to the endof the car-body, a face-plate supported upon the buffer-plate and anextensible hood connecting said door and face plates, substantially asset forth.

6. The combination with the car-body, of a laterally-movable supportingor door plate arranged adjacent to the end wall of the carbody, alaterally-movable face-plate arranged in front of said door-plate, andextensible hood connecting said door-plate with the faceplate, and aretaining device which holds said door-plate against the end wall of thecarbody but permits the same to move laterally therein, substantially asset forth.

7. The combination with the car-platform having a transverse slot orguide, of a laterally-movable door-plate arranged adjacent to the endwall of the car and having a pin or projection entering said slot orguide, and an extensible hood attached at its rear portion to saiddoor-plate, substantially as set forth.

8. The combination with the end wall of the car body or vestibule havinga door-passage, of a laterally-movable hood having its rear portionarranged adjacent to said end wall and provided on opposite sides withwings or extensions for closing the spaces between the hood and the endwall when the hood is shifted, substantially as set forth.

9. The combination with the car-vestibule having a passage in its rearwall and hollow panels or pockets on opposite sides of said passage, ofa hood having its rear portion arranged adjacent to said rear wall andprovided on opposite sides with wings or extensions which slide in saidpockets or panels, substantially as set forth.

10. The combination with the car-platform having a transverse slot, of alaterally-movable oscillating buffer having a horizontal wing providedwith curved slots, a laterallymovable door-plate arranged adjacent tothe end wall of the car or vestibule and having pins or projectionspassing through the slots of the platform and the buffer-wing,substantially as set forth.

11. The combination with the end wall of the car or vestibule, and thelaterally-movable face-plate of the extensible hood, of a guide or trackarranged on the upper portion of the car and a guide-roller running onsaid track and connected with said face-plate, substantially as setforth.

12. The combination with the end wall of the car or vestibule and thelaterally-movable face-plate of the extensible hood, of a guide or trackarranged on the end of the car above the hood, a guide-roller running onsaid track, and a journal capable of sliding axially in said roller andconnected with the face-plate, substantially as set forth.

13. The combination with the end wall of the car or vestibule, thelaterally-movable inner or door plate of the hood, andthelaterally-movable outer or face plate thereof, ofa track arranged 011the end of the car above the hood, a guide-roller arranged on saidtrack, a journal sliding axially through said roller and attached to theface-plate, and a spring surrounding said journal between the upperportions of the face and door plates of the hood, substantially as setforth.

14. The combination with the end wall of the car or vestibule, having ahorizontal slot, and the laterally-movable inner or door plate of thehood, of a retaining-bolt attached to said door-plate and extendingthrough said slot, a truck having rollers running against the inner sideof said slotted wall and a spring arranged on said bolt and bearingagainst said track, substantially as set forth.

15; The combination with the car-platform and the buffer, of a movablethreshold-plate overlapping the bufier and a spring whereby thethreshold-plate is held in contact with the buffer, substantially as setforth.

16. The combination with the car-platform and the buffer, of a rockingthreshold-plate pivotally supported between its front and rear edges anda spring bearing against the under side of the threshold-plate in rearof its pivotal support, substantially as set forth.

17. The combination with the car-platform and the buffer, of atransverse supportingbar secured to the platform and having a convexupper side, a rocking threshold-plate resting between its front and rearedges upon said convex bar and a spring bearing against the under sideof said plate in rear of said bar, substantially asset forth.

WVitness my hand this 16th day of February, 1894.

LOUIS B. SMYSER.

Witnesses:

CASSIUS W. GOULD, J on E. WIDNER.

